Image by: Susan Cook
Emotionally Shallow Waters: Drowning In Two Inches of Water
Series: The River Is Wide
From: Susan Cook
Length: 00:02:31
Emotionally Shallow Waters: Drowning in Two Inches of Water
-Susan Cook-
We wade into emotionally shallow waters when we look at the media's recent coverage of the "important consequences" of the Penn State revelation that sexual assaults of children by their sports administrators were visually observed. And nothing done to prevent future incidents by the perpetrator (or any others) or treat the damage to the children.
Let's start with David Brooks' New York Times commentary "Let's Feel Superior", calling us out on our tendency for self-importance . He glibly cites study-after-study of urban residents ignoring those who need help. Because they're afraid the guy will turn on them? Because they thought someone was making a movie? Who knows. Self-importance has many justifications.
It could be you or me, Mr. Brooks says. So, let's take a hard look at the Self-Importance now floating to the top- ours- as we judge the many authorities at Penn State who by the way didn't need weapons to protect themselves- just human decency and a telephone to recognize atrocity when it hit them in the eye. Atrocity , according to Mr. Brooks, depends on which rung of the moral hierarchical ladder you happen to be standing on when it happens: the higher the rung, the more self-importance that goes with it, hence the downward glance now on those who did not report these incidents. Sounds like the same justification the Big Men at Penn State might use to explain their own failure to report these atrocities.
Mine is still here. It is the emotional shallowness of the water in which Penn State administrators stand that keeps them and all those who just keep on playing football oblivious to the ravages and psychological damage of sexual abuse. Atrocity is always in the eye of the beholder and it is my eye- or yours or yours or yours - no matter how low or high your rung on the moral ladder- and that’s what keeps us and will always help us see how children can drown in just two inches of water.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Emotionally Shallow Waters: Drowning in Two Inches of Water
-Susan Cook-
We wade into emotionally shallow waters when we look at the media's recent coverage of the "important consequences" of the Penn State revelation that sexual assaults of children by their sports administrators were visually observed. And nothing done to prevent future incidents by the perpetrator (or any others) or treat the damage to the children.
Let's start with David Brooks' New York Times commentary "Let's Feel Superior", calling us out on our tendency for self-importance . He glibly cites study-after-study of urban residents ignoring those who need help. Because they're afraid the guy will turn on them? Because they thought someone was making a movie? Who knows. Self-importance has many justifications.
It could be you or me, Mr. Brooks says. So, let's take a hard look at the Self-Importance now floating to the top- ours- as we judge the many authorities at Penn State who by the way didn't need weapons to protect themselves- just human decency and a telephone to recognize atrocity when it hit them in the eye. Atrocity , according to Mr. Brooks, depends on which rung of the moral hierarchical ladder you happen to be standing on when it happens: the higher the rung, the more self-importance that goes with it, hence the downward glance now on those who did not report these incidents. Sounds like the same justification the Big Men at Penn State might use to explain their own failure to report these atrocities.
Mine is still here. It is the emotional shallowness of the water in which Penn State administrators stand that keeps them and all those who just keep on playing football oblivious to the ravages and psychological damage of sexual abuse. Atrocity is always in the eye of the beholder and it is my eye- or yours or yours or yours - no matter how low or high your rung on the moral ladder- and that’s what keeps us and will always help us see how children can drown in just two inches of water.
Transcript
Emotionally Shallow Waters:
Drowning in Two Inches of Water
-Susan Cook-
We wade into emotionally shallow waters when we look at the media's recent coverage of the "important consequences" of the Penn State revelation that sexual assaults of children by their sports administrators were visually observed. And nothing done to prevent future incidents by the perpetrator (or any others) or treat the damage to the children.
Let's start with David Brooks' New York Times commentary "Let's Feel Superior", calling us out on our tendency for self-importance . He glibly cites study-after-study of urban residents ignoring those who need help. Because they're afraid the guy will turn on them? Because they thought someone was making a movie? Who knows. Self-importance has many justifications.
It could be you or me, Mr. Broo...
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